Study Guide for Final Exam Spring 2014 Religion in the Public Square 1 What does the word pluralism mean one persons religion is not the sole source of truth and we need to acknowledge that at least some truths and values exist in other religions tolerance toward different religious beliefs religious diversity unity cooperation and improved understanding between different religions or denominations under a single religion holding a variety of different comprehensive doctrines whether religious or not 2 What is a comprehensive doctrine Rawls reasonable comprehensive doctrine human nature purpose etc cant use religion to back up arguments Forms an overlapping consensus around rights liberties and tolerance System of moral beliefs not only about the specific subject of political institutions but also about a wider range of subjects such as how best to lead ones life what sort of virtues to aspire to what sort of relationships to have and so on A comprehensive doctrine is a systemized understanding of what constitutes a good valuable or meaningful life often religious in nature Religions would be an example of a comprehensive doctrine Richard Rorty 1 Rorty argues in Religious Faith Intellectual Responsibility and Romance that science and religion do not have to be antagonists because they serve different functions What does he say the function of science is and what does he say the function of religion is Hint p 153 religion offers us a larger hope and thereby something to live for science enables us to predict and control 2 According to Richard Rorty religion in the public square is what a conversation stopper something that should be privatized and not used to back up political arguments 3 What does Rorty say the price for religious liberty is in Religion as Conversation stopper privatization or the ongoing upkeep of a democratic political community 4 Who is Rorty s main conversation partner in Religion as Conversation stopper Hint No it is not John Rawls or Jeffrey Stout Stephen L Carter 5 What is Foundationalism 6 What is Realism Foundationalism is the idea that somewhere somehow there is a master of lists of reason Bible Qur an Torah or common sense where we can get our evidence from Realism is the idea that the evidence we are looking for comes from the world itself Jeffrey Stout 1 In addition to Richard Rorty whom else is Jeff Stout arguing against John Rawls 2 What are the two freedoms that Stout believes should be protected under the U S Constitution freedom of speeh freedom of religion should be allowed to express their religious beliefs in political arguments because of the right to free speech 3 What is declaration give argument to vast audience audience doesn t have to know what you re talking about or hold the same beliefs 4 What is conjecture immanent criticism to be contained within something arguing with someone who holds the same main beliefs as you do someone in the audience has a premise in common with the declaration knows what you are talking about 5 Be able to name at least two people who Stout considers to be exemplary figures of political speech who also used religious reasoning in their speech Abraham Lincoln and MLK jr 6 What is Stout s primary criticism of John Rawls he is in effect halfway between the coherent alternatives of Kant and hegel have to take into account all previous norms institutions and upbringing to define reasonable which is what Rawls argument relies on reasonable people Finding all of this information is a quest for fools how can you define a reasonable person Reasonable people still disagree even if they have the same beliefs Introduction to Hinduism and William Sax 1 Be familiar with the two classes of sacred texts in Hinduism and be able to give an example of each one Shruti eternal no human author but passed down directly from the divine contain vedas vedas caste brahamanas ultimate reality aranyakas Upanishads karma samsara moksha highest goal liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth Atman ones eternal self brahman explain the origins of the World hymns that should be sang to leaders magic spells charms mantras smriti human authors commentaries on shruti contains Epics Bagivagdita Sutras discussion of rituals morality ethics duties and Puranas myths about different Gods and Goddesses 2 Be familiar with the four main castes of Hinduism Brahmin religious elite priests Kshatriya political elite king warrior vaishya merchants and business people commoners shudra servants of other three castes cannot study vedas 3 Be familiar with the four life stages of Hinduism ashrama student vedic learning from ages 8 to 12 householder marriage at age 25 forest dweller grandkids are born wife may or may not join husband in this stage renouncer seeking Samadhi renounce civilized life duty morality related to your caste if you perform your duties you can move up in caste in next life after rebirth Karma is if you do your duty things will go the way they should 4 What is Dharma 5 What is Karma 6 What is Samsara Samsara is the cycle of death and rebirth It continues to exist as long as you engage in karmic effects 7 What is Moksha Highest goal liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth religion nirvana 8 What does the word digvijaya mean From the reading your conscious and your moral reasoning at work conquest of the quarters make ideal system where all can prosper in harmony originally a strategy for imperial military expansion 9 What is the main argument William Sax is making a contribution to and what position does he take in the argument You will find this answer in the first page of the article Sax s argument is that religion and politics have been intertwined for centuries is not due to colonialism The opposing view of separating the two is following Western society which doesn t apply to Indian culture because it s always been there in society He thinks they re mutually entailed and are alter egos of each other to separate religion from politics is to follow a western derived model that is hardly applicable to India Religion and politics are mutually entailed alter egos of each other 10 What are the two groups of people that the article is centered on kings and renouncers 11 What is the importance of the triptych artha dharma moksa moksha politics duty morality religion cant separate politics and religion because they are connected by morality tie religion and politics together enlightenment period 17th and 18th centuries led to push